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  Athena Morris scanned the recruits. "Do you have any more questions?" "Why use us?" Sergeant Havoc queried. "Why not locate the valley from

  the air and drop in Special Forces to mop up?"

  "May I answer that one?" General Gallagher interjected, stepping forward.

  "As I already told Blade, the huts, the tower, and the tilled fields are

  camouflaged from aerial surveillance. They also have lookouts posted on a ridge

  above the valley. Finding the site from the air would be a fluke, and might take

  months. Sending you in on foot, we feel, increases the likelihood of success."

  Sergeant Havoc gazed at the general. "Sir, is there a time limit on this mission?" "No," Gallagher replied. "You'll go in, and you'll take as long as is

  necessary to get the job done." Havoc nodded. "Then I take it, sir, this mission is

  TWEP?"

  "It is," General Gallagher declared.

  Blade looked at the general. "What does TWEP stand for? It's a new one

  on me."

  "TWEP is an abbreviation for terminate with extreme prejudice," General

  Gallagher explained.

  "In other words," Boone chimed in, "we don't take any prisoners." "None," Gallagher said.

  There were several seconds of silence.

  "Are there any more questions?" Athena Morris asked.

  "Blade said something about going in two weeks?" Spader noted

  quizzically.

  "Two weeks should be long enough for you to learn the basics," General

  Gallagher mentioned. "In two weeks the VTOLs will transport you to the drop

  zone we've selected. You will land and proceed into the interior on foot. You'll be

  supplied with a radio and any other equipment you might need. We can easily

  airlift additional supplies to you if necessary."

  "Sir, "Sergeant Havoc asked, "will an aerial search for the Kingdom be

  conducted in the meantime?"

  "Negative," Gallagher responded. "A sudden increase in aerial traffic might

  make them suspicious and cause them to relocate. If that happened, we might

  never find them."

  "Any more questions?" Athena Morris inquired. None of the recruits

  ventured any. "There is something important I would like to add," General

  Gallagher said. "We wouldn't be sending you in if we didn't feel you could

  accomplish the assignment. Thunder is a first-rate tracker, as competent as any

  we have in Special Forces or the commando units. If there's any sign to be found, he'll find it." He paused and glanced at Grizzly. "You also have someone on your Force particularly suited to fight mutants. Always fight fire with fire, is

  my motto."

  Blade stared at the mutant. Now he understood Gallagher's underlying

  motive in using the freedom force; the force included a mutant. If anyone could

  ferret out a colony of degenerate mutants, it would be another hybrid, someone

  with the same enhanced senses and augmented instincts as the quarry. Fight fire

  with fire. Fight mutants with a mutant.

  "And now, men," General Gallagher proclaimed, "Governor Melnick would

  like a few words with you." The governor walked up to the general's side. "I

  simply want to impress upon you the importance of this mission. Not only would

  you save the lives of two dozen women, not only would you rescue these

  unfortunates from an existence of torture and degradation, but you would render

  an invaluable service to California, indeed to the entire Freedom Federation and

  the Outlands." Blade saw the recruits eating up every word. As with prewar

  politicians, Melnick's pitch was as smooth as silk.

  "If you complete this assignment," the governor was saying, "you will be

  sending a message to our allies and a warning to our enemies.

  The message you will send our allies is that we are ready and willing to

  meet any and all threats to the Freedom Federation. And you will be warning our

  enemies to take heed, to leave us in peace or suffer the consequences. This

  mission is not merely a test to prove yourselves. This mission is for the people of

  the Freedom Federation, for your people—for the Cavalry, the Flatheads, the

  Clan, the Moles, the Civilized Zone, for California and the Family. You are helping

  them to sleep easier at night knowing you are here to protect them." He paused.

  "That's all I wanted to say. May God speed you on this enterprise." "Okay," Blade declared. "You see what you're up against. This is the first

  and only time you, as a group, will decide whether we accept a mission or not.

  Go over there a ways," he said, pointing to the east, "and talk this over. When

  you have reached a decision, let us know."

  "Sir," Sergeant Havoc stated. "Must the decision be unanimous?" Blade

  observed General Gallagher about to speak and quickly cut him off. "Yes. We

  either go as a team, or we don't go at all."

  Gallagher frowned.

  "You're on your own," Blade told them, motioning to the east. The six recruits moved about 15 yards away and formed a circle. Blade swung on General Gallagher. "Now what are you trying to pull?

  What's this nonsense about taking Morris with us?"

  "I can speak for myself," Athena Morris responded stiffly. "I am going on

  the mission for two reasons. One, I am somewhat familiar with the country. I

  can recognize certain landmarks. You'll stand a better chance of finding the

  Kingdom with me along."

  "And what's the second reason?" Blade queried.

  "It's personal," Morris replied.

  "Oh, great!" Blade exclaimed in disgust, looking at Gallagher. "You want

  us to take along a woman out for revenge? Are you outs?"

  Athena Morris moved between Blade and the general. "Why are you

  talking to him? Why don't you talk to me, face to face?"

  "Fine," Blade said, annoyed by her arrogance. "I'll give it to you straight,

  lady! You're not coming on the mission! You want your vengeance more than

  anything else, and vengefulness is hardly the ideal frame of mind for going into

  combat.

  "What the hell is the matter with you?" Morris countered. "Of course I

  want my revenge after what those bastards did to me! So would you, if the

  situation were reversed? But I won't let| my thirst for revenge interfere with my

  performance."

  "Yeah, sure," Blade muttered.

  "Give me a chance to prove myself," Morris proposed. "I'd like to," Blade

  said, "but I can't. We'll have enough to do without baby-sitting you!" "Uh-oh," General Gallagher mumbled. Athena Morris bristled. She poked

  her right forefinger into, the Warrior's stomach. "Baby-sitting? For your

  information, bozo, I won't need any baby-sitting! I was raised in the country! I

  can shoot and ride as well as any man! And I know how to live off the land! So

  don't give me any crap about babysitting!"

  Blade glanced at Gallagher for support. "You know I'm right." "I'll tell you what he knows," Morris snapped. "He knows you don't stand

  a snowball's chance in hell of finding the Kingdom without me along! So if you

  want to save those women, you'd better think twice about taking me along!" She

  spun and stalked off to the west, her fists clenched in anger.

  "Quite a little firebrand, isn't she?" General Gallagher commented. "She's a regular Lynx," Blade remarked cryptically. Gallagher stared at the

  Warrior. "You really don't have any choice in taking her. You realize that, don't

  you?" Blade sighed. "I wish there was another way."<
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  "All of this may be moot if your men decide to decline the mission,"

  Governor Melnick noted.

  "Speak of the devil," General Gallagher said, looking past Blade. Blade

  turned. The recruits were returning. "That was quick," he said as they assumed

  their original positions.

  "We have made up our minds, sir," Sergeant Havoc declared. "So what's it going to be?" Blade asked. "Do we go or not?" "Let me put it this way," Sergeant Havoc said. "Where can we get some

  first-class tickets for the VTOLs?"

  PART TWO

  THE MISSION CHAPTER SEVEN

  "I'm so sick of trees I could puke!" Kraft declared, pushing a limb aside as

  he plodded wearily along. Blade glanced over his right shoulder. "No talking!" he

  ordered.

  "Ahh, like who's going to hear us, dude?" Kraft retorted. "The trees don't

  have ears, you know." Blade halted and turned. The Force was strung out behind

  him, advancing through the undergrowth to the west. Spader was a few feet

  away, then Kraft. Beyond the Clansman were Sergeant Havoc, Grizzly, Thunder,

  and Boone. They all drew to a stop. "It isn't the trees I'm concerned about,"

  Blade said to Kraft. "It's who, or what, might be on the other side of those

  trees."

  Kraft snorted. "The only thing on the other side of those trees is some

  mangy bear taking a shit." Spader was leaning on his M-16. "Can we take a

  break now? We've been hiking for hours!"

  "Hours my ass!" Kraft cracked. "In case you can't count, we've been at

  this bullshit for seven days!" Blade walked back to Kraft. "When I say no talking,

  I mean no talking! If you don't shut your face, I'll shut it for you." Kraft's lips compressed and his eyes narrowed.

  "What's the matter, cutey?" taunted a female voice from the front of the

  column. "Where's your marbles?"

  Blade gazed at Athena Morris, her slim figure attired in tight fitting

  camouflage fatigues. He had been following her for the better part of an hour,

  ever since she had announced she thought the terrain looked familiar. "What

  about a break?" Spader reiterated.

  Blade nodded. "Fifteen minutes," he informed them, moving to the head

  of the line, , Athena Morris was leaning against a tree, her back to the trunk. "I

  see that look in your eyes again," she told him.

  "You shouldn't goad Kraft," Blade advised. "You're only making this worse

  than it already is."

  "I can't help myself," she said. "I'm tired of all his whining. I don't see

  why you let him into the Force."

  "I had no control over the quality of the recruits," Blade mentioned. "I

  must make do with those who volunteered, Ms. Kraft."

  "Will you quit calling me that?" she rejoined. "How many times must I tell

  you. Call me Athena." Blade surveyed the dense vegetation ahead. "Do you still

  think you know where we might be?" Athena chewed on her lower lip for a

  moment. "I don't know," she admitted. "That ridge in the distance looks like one

  I saw on my way out."

  "The one above the Kingdom?"

  "No," Athena said. "But the next one over."

  Blade peered at the ridge in question, visible through the canopy of trees.

  In all his travels, he'd never encountered vegetation as thick as the growth in

  northern California. His mind flashed back to the drop-off a week ago, when the

  VTOLs had deposited the Force in a large clearing adjacent to the Scott River and northeast of the Marble Mountain Wilderness. They had stuck with the river for only a few hours, until Athena had found the stream she wanted. Then they had struck off to the west, into the Wilderness, staying close to the stream. Now, after a week of pursuing the stream's meandering course to the west, he was beginning to wonder if Athena had selected the wrong tributary. He gazed to the right at the flow of cold water, not ten feet away. "Tell me about your escape

  again."

  "You want to hear that again?" Athena queried, puzzled. "You've heard

  the story a dozen times so far."

  "Humor me," Blade said.

  Athena sighed, running her right hand through her hair, her left clutching

  her M-16 with the stock pressed against her left thigh. "I escaped on one of the

  feast nights. Whenever one of the women who can't bear the Spider's children

  are sacrificed, the occasion is turned into a big feast, a big celebration. After the

  sacrifice, the Hatchlings carry the body to the Tower to consume." She stopped,

  breathing slowly, dearly disturbed.

  "If you'd rather not talk about it again…" Blade began.

  "I'm okay," Athena said, resuming her narrative. "The human guards

  always overdo their celebrating. They usually drink themselves into a stupor.

  Most of them, anyway. I counted on that for my escape. With the Hatchlings

  occupied in the Tower, and the majority of the guards out like a light, I figured I

  could sneak from my hut into the woods and get away. But I ran into some

  trouble. One of the guards almost caught me. And instead of fleeing to the south

  until the ridge ended, then skirting to the east, I stupidly blundered straight up

  the ridge. The Hatchlings came after me." She glanced at Blade, her brown eyes,

  conveying a. haunted aspect. "They would have had me too, but I fell off the

  cliffs bordering the east side of the ridge. Ironically, the fall saved my life. I

  landed in a deep pool of water at the base of the cliffs, so deep I didn't even hit

  bottom. I made it to the surface, and I remembered clinging to a boulder on the

  shore, coughing and thanking God for my deliverance."

  "You had a narrow escape," Blade remarked.

  "My ordeal wasn't over," Athena said. "The pool fed a stream." She

  pointed at the nearby brook. "That one, I believe. I knew the Hatchlings would

  come after me, and I knew they have an excellent sense of smell. They can track

  a human by scent. I reasoned my best chance was to stick with the stream, to

  stay in the water and follow it wherever it might lead. After all, the Hatchlings

  can't track a scent through water. So that's what I did."

  "And the stream eventually fed into the Scott River, and you followed the

  river to the east until you were rescued near Ft.Jones," Blade concluded. Athena nodded. "I almost didn't make it. I was too scared to stop and find

  something to eat. I was weak and exhausted, but somehow I kept going. She

  shook her head in amazement. "I can't believe I'm alive."

  "And yet you're going back?" Blade mentioned.

  Athena looked into his eyes. "I've got to go back. I owe it to all the women I left behind, and to myself. I've got to sec the Spider dead. My motive is more than mere revenge. I will never enjoy another good night's sleep as long as

  I know the Spider and his brood are alive. Can you understand this?" "I think so," Blade said, nodding, admiring her courage. "There is one

  thing I'm still not clear on."

  "What's that?" she queried.

  "I'm trying to envision the area we're seeking in my mind," Blade stated.

  "Correct me if what I say is wrong." He paused. "The ridge we're looking for runs

  from north to south, with cliffs on the east side and a slope on the west. Right?" "Right so far," Athena confirmed.

  "The valley, the Kingdom of the Spider, is located on the west side of the

  ridge," Blade said.

  "Yes," Athena verified. "There is a gigantic, desolate ravine bordering the

  valley to the west. To the north
is a series of hills and more ravines. To the south

  the land is essentially flat."

  "And where is the Tower in relation to everything?" Blade questioned. "The Tower of the 'Spider is in the center of the valley," Athena disclosed.

  "It stands about seventy feet high and is about forty feet in diameter." "What's it made of?" Blade inquired.

  "Wood," Athena said. "Surrounding the Tower are the huts, ten of them,

  all made of wood. One hut, the biggest, is used by the guards. The rest are

  occupied by the women. We were forced to sleep on mats on the dirt floor.

  There was no indoor plumbing, so we had to cart our water from a well near the

  Tower. There's a creek on the west side of the valley used to irrigate the crops

  the women grow."

  "How do they hide everything from the air?" Blade probed. "They use these large green nets to camouflage the tilled fields," Athena

  detailed. "The nets are propped up on poles. From the air, the fields must appear

  to he covered with grass."

  "What about the huts and the Tower?"

  "The huts are painted green, and they were designed so the roofs form a

  dome instead of slanting. I'd imagine they look like mounds from high up,"

  Athena said. "As for the Tower, I must admit they were rather ingenious. They

  packed earth around three-fourths of the Tower, encasing the structure in dirt up

  to the fifty-foot level. The rest of the Tower is painted green, like the huts, and

  the Tower also has a domed roof. Anyone looking down from a plane would

  simply see a valley of green grass with ft few mounds and a big hill in the

  middle."

  "Are there any walls or fences?" Blade asked.

  "None," Athena divulged. "They don't need any. The kingdom is so far

  from civilization, I doubt many women have made a break for it over the years. I

  only heard of a few, and they were all reportedly killed."

  "About these women," Blade remarked. "Where do they come from? How

  does the Spider get them?"

  "The Hatchlings are sent out every now and then to acquire new blood,"

  Athena related. "They range far afield. They bypass the nearest towns, like

  Yreka, and travel further east to steal the women they need. They also venture

  to the coast, and I was told they even go up into what was once the state

  ofOregonand capture, women from the outposts and towns there. The

  Hatchlings aren't stupid. They don't arouse suspicion by taking more than one